Podcasts about my hdl

There's been a growing amount of hype around the "Deca only cycle". While it is most commonly referred to as the Deca only cycle, it is actually based on the compound Nandrolone being used on its own. The decanoate ester being abbreviated as "Deca" has just become synonymous nowadays in the bodybuilding community with Nandrolone itself. Seeing the potential merits of Nandrolone as a makeshift hormone replacement therapy alternative to Testosterone, I stopped using Testosterone and instead started using Nandrolone on its own with exogenous Estradiol for 3 months and paid over $1000 for an elaborate blood panel to assess how it affected my health markers. https://youtu.be/kLScNddgkks How Nandrolone Could Potentially Be A Superior HRT Alternative To Testosterone The primitive thought process is that Nandrolone used in conjunction with Testosterone will lead to horrible side effects, but Nandrolone used on its own will just result in all of the benefits of steroids with a near absence of the androgenic or estrogenic side effects associated with Testosterone use. In reality, it's a lot more nuanced than that. The reason why I found this experiment worth pursuing is the lack of androgenicity of Nandrolone in the body. Nandrolone 5α-reduces in tissues that express 5α-reductase to the much less androgenic metabolite Dihydronandrolone (DHN). Nandrolone is basically the only anabolic steroid that is going to maintain 100% anabolic activity of the Nandrolone in muscle tissue where you want it, but also be converted into a much less androgenic metabolite with a lower binding affinity in certain areas of the body where you wouldn't want Nandrolone to bind. The two areas of concern for most individuals being hair follicles and skin. By converting to DHN in these areas, Nandrolone (and by extension DHN) causes less hair loss and acne than Testosterone (and by extension DHT). In addition, some men are genetically predisposed to high levels of aromatization and estrogen receptor expression and can't even use TRT doses of Testosterone without experiencing estrogenic side effects. Nandrolone is not a potent substrate for aromatase, and mainly converts to a weaker estrogen called Estrone (Estradiol is about 10-fold more potent than Estrone). Nandrolone is also mildly estrogenic on its own via its ability to act as an estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) agonist [R]. Overall, Nandrolone is much less androgenic and estrogenic than Testosterone, and may provide symptom relief in those seeking a viable hormone replacement therapy alternative. In this context, Nandrolone may also have great potential as an efficacious alternative to Testosterone as an anabolic agent for some individuals who are prone to androgenic and/or estrogenic side effects. The Neurotoxicity And Cardiotoxicity Of Nandrolone Based on the limited data available, Nandrolone has shown to be more deleterious to cardiovascular and neurological health than testosterone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv_v0mJy6Bg By extrapolating the data, we start to get a clearer picture as to why this likely is. Nandrolone is mildly estrogenic on its own, and it does not aromatize nearly enough to create as much Estradiol as Testosterone does. Comparing the effect of testosterone with that of 19-nortestosterone (Nandrolone) and Stanozolol (Winstrol) on neurotoxicity we can clearly see that Estrogen is what protects neurons in the brain, not Testosterone itself. In this study, a physiologic dosage of Testosterone was neuroprotective [R]. Testosterone only amplified neurotoxicity at supraphysiological dosages. The neuroprotective effect of a physiologic dosage of Testosterone was completely eliminated when the aromatase inhibitor Anastrozole (Arimidex) was co-administered, suggesting that the intrinsic toxicity of Testosterone as an androgen is only counterbalanced by its aromatization into 17β-estradiol. As opposed to testosterone, Nandrolone does not appear to aromatize sufficiently into estrogen. As you would expect, Nandrolone was neurotoxic at every single dose evaluated regardless of Arimidex being co-administered or not. If Nandrolone was inherently able to provide enough estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) activation to balance out its androgenicity without even requiring aromatization (it acts as an estrogen on its own to some extent), we would see a neuroprotective effect at equivalent dosages to a physiologic concentration of Testosterone when no AI is used, but that does not appear to be the case either. The anti-androgen flutamide attenuated the neurotoxicity of all three androgens, thus further reinforcing that physiologic dosages of androgens without a sufficient amount of opposing estrogens, or supraphysiological dosages of androgens may facilitate neuronal death. I suspect that the same applies for the inherent cardiotoxicity of Nandrolone as well. Just because you can get your Estradiol levels up to 15 pg/mL with a gram of Deca only, that ratio of androgens to estrogen in the body is way off of what would otherwise be optimal for health based on what I've seen. This is reinforced by the fact that Flutamide (an anti-androgen) was able to attenuate the neurotoxicity of Nandrolone. By preventing Nandrolone from binding to androgen receptors, it is no longer able to transcribe its effects in tissues. Hair loss and acne are one thing, cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity are another thing and should ultimately take precedence obviously. However, just because Nandrolone monotherapy cannot produce a sufficient ratio of androgens to estrogens, that doesn't mean that there isn't a potential loophole. That loophole is exogenous Estradiol administration. Exogenous Estradiol Use With Nandrolone Only Cycles As we've seen, Estrogen produced via aromatase is what provides neuroprotection from the androgenicity of Testosterone, not the Testosterone itself. We also know that Nandrolone is not able to produce enough estrogenic activity in the body to facilitate this same level of neuroprotection. I theorize that Nandrolone in conjunction with exogenous Estradiol to replace this otherwise missing component could attenuate a significant amount of the deleterious impact Nandrolone has on the heart and brain. In addition, by providing a sufficient amount of exogenous estrogen, libido, muscle growth, fat loss, and several other aspects of health and performance should be more optimized. It isn't a coincidence that cardiovascular disease rates skyrocket once women hit menopause and stop producing Estrogen properly. The same negative effects will apply in men with low Estrogen levels. The lack of sufficient Estrogen is often addressed in Deca only cycles by adding an adjunct anabolic steroid that aromatizes into Estrogen or Estrogen analogs. Obviously for those seeking to minimize androgenic side effects, the ideal way to go about achieving sufficient Estrogen receptor activation is probably not going to be by adding more steroids to their protocol. This is where exogenous Estradiol comes into play, and I believe the majority of Deca only cycles would be more sustainable from a health perspective, and successful in a bodybuilding context as well with its inclusion. I have yet to see one person on a Deca only cycle achieve a sufficient Estradiol level relative to their Nandrolone dosage via a sensitive assay Estradiol blood test. The following blood test result was submitted by an individual on over 1000 mg per week of Deca only. Over a gram of androgens relative to a 19.2 pg/mL Estradiol level is far from ideal in my opinion. I had a good conversation with Vigorous Steve as well about his Deca only cycle experience. He told me that his Estradiol was 12 pg/mL on 1000 mg of Deca per week after 4 weeks, and he ended up adding 25 mg DHEA per day just to bring it up to 25 pg/mL. When it comes to Nandrolone use on its own, most would benefit from more Estrogen in my opinion. My Weekly Nandrolone And Estradiol Dosage For "HRT" Most guys doing Deca only cycles are evaluating Nandrolone at dosages of 600 mg or higher per week for short blasts. My experiment was based on its potential as an alternative long term HRT option for those prone to androgenic side effects. Or alternatively, its potential as a compound to swap to periodically throughout the year from TRT to reverse some of the androgenic side effects of Testosterone and DHT while still maintaining the same amount of muscle mass. Every blood test I've seen of Deca only cycle users was on high doses of Nandrolone without a sufficient amount of Estrogen. I wanted to see how Nandrolone on its own at a "therapeutic dose" would affect my blood work if I had a sufficient amount of Estrogen provided through exogenous Estradiol. Long-term, the only way Nandrolone monotherapy could be even relatively safe in a cardiovascular context would be with exogenous Estradiol supplementation from what I've seen. And even then, I'm sure it has major drawbacks that will likely accumulate over the years. With that being said, it is still something I wanted to explore nonetheless, as it is one of the few compounds that can actually support supraphysiological muscle growth with a relatively minimal impact on androgenic alopecia. Oral micronized Estradiol tablets have quite a few drawbacks. A few of the most notable drawbacks are that oral Estrogen pills can be somewhat liver toxic, they spike SHBG through the roof, and they result in the production of clotting factors in the blood that do not develop with forms of administration that skip the first pass. The two most viable methods of administration that skip the first pass are transdermal topical application, or injection. I chose to topically apply transdermal Estradiol gel (Estrogel) for this experiment. I used 100 mg of Nandrolone phenylpropionate (NPP) per week split into daily injections using an insulin pin rotating between my glutes and ventroglutes. I also applied 2.5 grams of transdermal Estrogel (delivering 1.5 mg Estradiol) to my inner thighs every day for over 3 months straight. Blood Pressure Changes On Nandrolone One of the first things I noticed was that it was a struggle to keep my blood pressure in check on NPP, even at the mild dose I was using. What that was caused by exactly, I'm not sure. I assumed it was Aldosterone prior to this blood work. When I'm on Testosterone, even when I was using TRT as high as 200 mg per week, I could keep my blood pressure at 110/70 with ease. Even if I ate terribly, I could still hold 115/75 without even trying on Testosterone. Within the first week of switching to NPP it became way harder to control my systolic blood pressure. My diastolic blood pressure was fine for the entire 3 months, but my systolic blood pressure would consistently be around 125-128. That is not normal for me, and is borderline stage 1 hypertension. The fact that I even had to try to lower my blood pressure showed to me that Nandrolone is a lot harder to manage in this regard. This is consistent with almost every single person I know who has blasted high doses of Deca. They all had significant issues with blood pressure. Most of the guys who thought they had normal blood pressure were actually stage 1 hypertensive and didn't even realize that their results were indicative of cardiovascular stress. My 125-128 systolic occurred without being in a calorie surplus, without any weight changes, and on what I would consider a very low dose of NPP. The exact same diet, weight, lifestyle, etc. would have me at 110/70 on TRT. Muscle Growth And Strength On Nandrolone I maintained my muscle and do not feel that there was a substantial difference between the anabolic potency of Nandrolone compared to Testosterone. At the very least, the anabolic activity of Nandrolone is comparable to Testosterone, but the androgenic activity is far less than that of Testosterone. In certain contexts for certain individuals, Nandrolone will be the desirable alternative because of this. Reduced Libido On Nandrolone - Deca Dick? My libido was extremely subdued on NPP. That's one of the most obvious things I noticed during my experiment. I had a libido and would still want to have sex, but my libido was much lower than it is on regular TRT. On TRT I can barely go one day without sex before it starts to consume my mind.  On Nandrolone only, I can easily go a couple days barely even thinking about it. However, when it came time to get the job done, I could still get the job done and stay hard the entire time without any issues in erection quality. It was a bit harder to reach orgasm though. On top of the lack of androgenicity causing a reduction in libido, Nandrolone also has progestogenic activity and binds to the Progesterone receptor. Excessive Progesterone is notorious for killing libido and causing erectile dysfunction, and it seems that Nandrolone has similar effects in many individuals via this pathway in conjunction with its 5α-reduction into DHN. My drive was also lower, and I felt less aggressive overall. In many individuals Testosterone and DHT levels will strongly influence libido, drive, aggression, motivation and productivity. Personally, even if I have that support via DHT or DHT derivatives, the increased motivation and drive is actually more counterproductive in a work productivity context because my libido gets way too high. Even when I had high testosterone levels and 0 DHT in my body I still had sex on my mind far more than I would like. When that happens, I can barely get anything done, and then I end up depleting myself of energy for the day through excessive sex. The subdued and normalized libido on Nandrolone is welcomed for me because of this. I don't think this is necessarily just because I'm a good responder to Nandrolone, I think it has more so to do with the fact that I was using exogenous Estrogen during this experiment with the Nandrolone. Despite androgens driving aggression and drive, libido and erection quality is largely dictated by adequate Estrogen levels. With all that being said, DHT (with sufficient Estrogen via Testosterone aromatization) is blatantly better for sexual support than Nandrolone, and testosterone itself, even if you completely inhibited 5α-reductase and nuked DHT, still provides better libido and erection quality than Nandrolone does at equivalent "therapeutic" doses for the majority of people. My Blood Work Results On A Deca Only Cycle For HRT I don't like taking shots in the dark when it comes to something that I see potential in. There is a lot of theory thrown back and forth in the community on Deca only cycles, and I needed to see for myself how Nandrolone in conjunction with exogenous Estradiol would impact my personal blood work. I wanted to check markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, kidney function, Aldosterone, Prolactin, hormone levels via sensitive assay testing, and an array of other health markers that are often debated about but very infrequently actually tested for to reinforce statements made. Expectedly, high dose Deca only cycle blasts will almost always result in low HDL levels, subpar Estradiol levels, and an array of other out of range values that are less common and are more individual dependent. To date I have yet to see someone get their blood work checked with exogenous Estradiol being used in conjunction with Nandrolone at a "therapeutic" dose. This is what I wanted to evaluate. Complete Blood Count with Differential/Platelets I was actually expecting far worse from my blood test results. At a "therapeutic" dose, it doesn't seem like my hematology was negatively affected at all. Comprehensive Metabolic Panel In my metabolic panel, nothing was really off to the point that would cause concern. My BUN being high is likely just the result of being muscular and having a high protein diet. Lipid Panel Going into the lipid panel, we can see the number one most common blood test result among steroid users. My HDL is low. LDL is also borderline high, but not overly concerning when I can see that my Triglycerides are pretty low. The reason why my HDL was too low was that my Estrogen levels were too low. Again, this just reinforces the fact that Nandrolone does not sufficiently aromatize into Estrogen. I will get into my Estrogen level and why it was still too low even with Estrogel administration later once we get to that part of the blood test results, but my HDL could have been in range if my Estrogen level was in check. If I didn't use the Estrogel my HDL likely would have been in the single digits. I know I can get my HDL into the reference range if my estradiol levels were doubled, which I have the leeway to do. Iron And Total Iron Binding Capacity Getting into Iron and TIBC we can see that everything looks pretty normal here. Total Testosterone And Free Testosterone Expectedly, by assessing my Total Testosterone level via liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) and my Free Testosterone level via equilibrium ultrafiltration, we can see that my Testosterone levels were crashed. Both the total and the free were lower than a healthy female. This is what you should see in your blood work if you’re on just Nandrolone. The only Testosterone being produced in my body was indirectly via the trace amounts of androgens produced in my adrenal cortex, which is why the value wasn't completely bottomed out at 0. I've mentioned many times the importance of getting high sensitivity testing done for hormone levels and how Nandrolone will register as Testosterone in primitive garbage blood tests. This is another great example of this. In addition to high sensitivity testing, I had the same blood tested using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) for my Total Testosterone level, and direct analog enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for my Free Testosterone level. These were the test results using the exact same blood sample with the terrible default assays that doctors will use to determine how to treat you, and that labs will give you in the majority of your blood work panels. According to ECLIA and EIA, I have a normal Total Testosterone and Free Testosterone level. Hilarious. This just one example of why getting accurate hormone testing is critical. My Testosterone levels are actually in the gutter, but the stupid primitive tests that doctors and labs give out as defaults for people is so f*cking stupid that it can't even tell the difference between Testosterone and 19-nortestosterone in my blood. Renin Activity and Aldosterone My renin activity and Aldosterone appeared to be normal. This is one of the main things I wanted to check because there's a lot of speculation around the effect Nandrolone is going to have on Aldosterone levels. When it comes to the Deca only cycle, there's something going on that throws off homeostatic mechanisms that regulate blood pressure that does not appear to be Estrogen related or Aldosterone related. At least based on my blood work, my Aldosterone was definitely not at a level that could imply any kind of negative effect on blood pressure. My Aldosterone level was low if anything. Granted, some markers in the serum can be relatively worthless when compared to actual tissue concentrations, but at least based on my blood work, Aldosterone does not appear to be the culprit. The first thing many jump to when explaining blood pressure regulation is the effect Nandrolone supposedly has on spiking Aldosterone through the roof, but it just doesn't appear to be the case in my experience as you can see yourself here. Vitamin B12 and Folate My B12 and Folate levels were normal. Pregnenolone Pregnenolone appeared to be normal and within the reference range for men which is notable, as many assume that Nandrolone will shut down the production of precursor steroids. That does not appear to be the case either. I assumed precursor hormone levels like Pregnenolone would be less affected than many seem to think as most circulating Pregnenolone is derived from the adrenal cortex. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) Expectedly, my DHT was very low. This is because I have almost no Testosterone being produced to 5α-reduce into DHT. If my Testosterone is low, my DHT will be low as well. DHT Backdoor Pathway Contrary to popular belief, there is a backdoor pathway via Pregnenolone that can create DHT as well, which contributes to the chunk of DHT I have in my blood. Hemoglobin A1c Hemoglobin A1c appeared to be normal at 5.1%. Thyroxine (T4) My Free T4 was 1.28 ng/dL, which is acceptable. DHEA-Sulfate My DHEA was in range and actually on the high end of normal. Being on exogenous Nandrolone or Testosterone does not shut down DHEA production. Cortisol Cortisol was "normal" apparently, although it looks a bit high to me. I believe this result was mostly sleep hygiene related rather than entirely Nandrolone related. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) My TSH is too high. I've never had a TSH this high before. I have had a TSH in the 2's before, this isn't the first time, but never this high. However, based on my resting heart rate and my morning waking temperature and my mid-day temperature, my metabolic rate seems to be the same as it usually is on TRT, and I have had no standout hypothyroidism symptoms. Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Expectedly, LH and FSH were undetectable. Prolactin My Prolactin was on the low end of normal. This was another interesting health marker to see on Nandrolone, as many will often jump to assuming that Nandrolone spikes Prolactin levels through the roof. That does not appear to be the case though. Prostate-Apecific Antigen (PSA) My PSA level was normal, and did not change from my previous blood work on Testosterone for TRT. D-Dimer My D-Dimer was normal. A friend of mine had a very high D-Dimer level on a Deca only cycle and he wanted me to check mine to see if there was a pattern. It looks like the elevated D-Dimer was case-specific for him and was probably caused by something completely unrelated, as my D-Dimer is normal. C-Reactive Protein C-Reactive Protein is one of the primary markers we have for assessing inflammation in the body. A C-Reactive Protein level of 0.34 mg/L is not overly concerning, although I would like to see it below 0.3 mg/L. I had undetectable C-Reactive Protein levels in the past on TRT, and on Nandrolone it jumped up to 0.34, which is notable. Estradiol, Sensitive My Estradiol (E2) level determined via LC/MS-MS was only 15.4 pg/mL, despite administering 2.5 grams of Estrogel per day. This was disappointing, as I would have liked to see my E2 at least around 30 pg/mL based on the amount of Estrogel I was applying daily. Evidently, my inner thigh was not absorbing the Estrogel very well. This is one of the recommended areas of application, but my results were not even close to in line with the average blood levels found in the Estrogel pharmacokinetics studies. With daily administration of 2.5 g or 5 g Estrogel (corresponding to 1.5 mg or 3 mg estradiol, respectively), mean serum estradiol concentrations of approximately 80 pg/ml (294 pmol/L) and 150 pg/ml (551 pmol/L), respectively, are maintained. Administration of Estrogel also results in increased serum estrone concentrations, producing a physiological estradiol/estrone ratio of approximately one. Therefore, serum concentrations of both estradiol and estrone and the serum estradiol/estrone ratio provided by ESTROGEL® are consistent with physiological levels observed during the follicular phase of the normal menstrual cycle. My inner thigh isn't very hairy at all as I manscape fairly regularly, so I expected at least a 40 pg/mL E2 based on the amount of Estrogel I was applying. I was overly generous with my dose based on the off chance that I would encounter an absorption issue, and my E2 was still way below where I expected it to be. Based on the pharmacokinetics outlined by Merck, 80 pg/mL is the average E2 level for someone applying 2.5 grams of Estrogel per day. There's no way I could have predicted that I would have an absorption issue so problematic that it would result in five times lower absorption than the average. If my E2 was closer to 30 pg/mL, I expect that my HDL would have been pushed into the reference range, and all Estradiol driven physiologic functions likely would have been more optimized. To me, this just reinforced further that Nandrolone is a subpar source of Estradiol as I was using a high dose of transdermal E2 and still could barely reach a satisfactory E2 level. To increase my E2 levels for similar future experiments I will either have to find a better application area, add some DMSO to my Estrogel to increase absorption, or consider Estradiol injections instead. Homocysteine My Homocysteine level was higher than I would like. Normally my Homocysteine is closer to 8-8.5 umol/L. Earlier in the year when I did a shorter Nandrolone experiment for a month using 200 mg per week (double the dose I used for this experiment) I had a Homocysteine level around 8.5, so I doubt this spike was Nandrolone related. This is one of the main markers I always have my eye on because I am homozygous for the C667T polymorphism. Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) My GGT looked good. I was worried that this would be cranked through the roof as it is a marker of oxidative stress. Magnesium My magnesium level looked okay. Copper and Zinc My zinc level looked okay. My copper level may be a bit low, which I am now addressing by eating an ounce of beef liver every day. Progesterone My Progesterone was normal, which is notable as it is another precursor hormone that many assume drops to zero when exogenous anabolic steroids are present in the body. Insulin My insulin level was good. Estrone Expectedly, my Estrone was a bit high. This can be a major problem with exogenous Estradiol and Nandrolone unfortunately. Estrone Level Increase From Exogenous Estradiol The ratio of Estrone-to-Estradiol is skewed with massive elevations in Estrone with oral Estrogen administration. Fortunately, this unhealthy ratio can be avoided for the most part with transdermal Estradiol administration. High levels of serum Estrone sulfate (E1S) were found after long-term oral estrogen treatment of commonly prescribed dosages, whereas there was a small increase in E1S levels after transdermal Estradiol (E2) therapy. The mean maximum E1S levels were more than 20-fold higher with oral estradiol (E2) when compared with the 0.05 mg/day transdermal estradiol patch. This is consistent with the 20-fold higher dose of E2 when compared with the transdermal dose [R]. Estrone Level Increase From Nandrolone Nandrolone also significantly elevates concentrations of Estrone in plasma [R]. During a pilot study evaluating the possible beneficial effect of Nandrolone Decanoate (ND) on bone metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis there was a significant increase in the serum levels of Estrone [R]. Despite the fact that Estrone can convert to Estradiol, we can clearly see that the amount this actually happens in the body is minimal based on the consistently skewed ratios of androgens to Estradiol in the blood test results of Deca only users (or Nandrolone in general). Ferritin My Ferritin level is too low. This is likely the result of phlebotomizing too frequently in 2019. Estriol My Estriol level was undetectable, which was expected. Triiodothyronine (T3) My Free T3 level was 2.7 pg/mL. It's not low enough for me to be overly concerned, however, it is suboptimal and should be in the low 3's at least. This is something I will need to address moving forward. With that being said, I like to look at my resting heart rate as well as my body temperature for a more accurate assessment of my metabolism, and both are where I want them to be. My waking temperature has consistently been 98 degrees Fahrenheit, and my midday temperature has consistently been 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin Expectedly, my sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) was low. While this isn't as relevant for a Nandrolone only user as Nandrolone has a very low affinity for SHBG, this is a value I would still like to see in the reference range, especially if I was on TRT. If I had the Estradiol level I was shooting for, I'm confident that my SHBG would have been in the reference range. My Overall Experience On Nandrolone And Exogenous Estrogen For HRT I was expecting to see a bunch of red flags in my blood work, but nothing really stood out as a major concern to me except for the spike in systolic blood pressure, and the high Estrone level. A before and after echocardiogram and calcium scoring would have been nice to see, but unfortunately I can only afford to do so much in these experiments, and the blood work was expensive enough as is. I felt good throughout the entire experiment, I maintained my physique, my libido and penis were functional, and my blood work looked pretty good considering that each issue was something more so related to my Estradiol administration than the Nandrolone itself. Estrone being out of range is a concern, as I would need to use even more exogenous Estradiol to achieve what I would consider a more therapeutic E2 level, which would likely push my Estrone up even higher. The difficulty in controlling the blood pressure spike is also a huge concern and could be a deal breaker. If I gave this experiment more time, it is entirely possible that certain things would have become problematic that appeared to be fine during my three month assessment, like my libido or sense of well-being. It is also possible that despite maintaining a healthy Estrogen level, the same neurological and cardiovascular issues we see in a significant amount of the Nandrolone data could still accumulate over time. In addition, healthy looking serum levels of Estradiol may not necessarily reflect adequate localized Estrogen receptor activation in each tissue. With Testosterone, there is a regulated amount of aromatization occurring in each tissue to satisfy however much Estrogen receptor (ER) activation we need. In the context of Deca only cycles, or Nandrolone monotherapy, there's nothing else I can refer to other than serum levels, my libido, sense of well-being, other cardiovascular health markers, etc. In other words, just because you feel good and your Estrogen levels look good on paper, that doesn't mean that an exogenously administered source of Estrogen is providing the same therapeutic ER activation in all tissues like it would if it were regulated via aromatase. With that being said, you could also argue the opposite as adequate receptor activation via exogenous hormone therapy is essentially all HRT boils down to to begin with in the context of any hormone. More than 95% of our endogenous Testosterone is produced in the testes. Testosterone is supplied to target tissues in the blood, just like most other hormones in the body. If you inject exogenous Testosterone, it then goes into the blood and is supplied to target tissues. If you inject anything it goes into the blood and then is carried to the areas that it is needed. Estrogen replacement has been deemed satisfactory for fulfilling the same functions as endogenously produced Estrogen in women for years, and synthetic Estrogen analogs are handed out like candy to millions of young girls (including teenagers). Is it healthy? Estrogen analogs like Ethinyl Estradiol probably aren't ideal for regulating Estrogen dependent functions, and they definitely aren't ideal for developing women who haven't fully matured. However, there is tons of data to support the fact that exogenous Estradiol is well-tolerated, has a strong safety profile, and can still fulfill physiologic functions sufficiently. In an ideal world, this would be a regulated process in the body in each tissue (aromatization). My experiments do not necessarily reflect what I believe are best practice with these hormones, which should be noted. This was an experiment, and not something that I would recommend someone else do. Using an exogenous progestogen with estrogel certainly isn't what I would consider an optimal HRT protocol, or what is indicative of an ideal means of providing androgenic and estrogenic support in tissues. With that being said, I don't see a better way to go about utilizing Nandrolone on its own for HRT. Should it even be considered as an HRT alternative though? That's the question, and I believe it is largely going to be individual dependent, with a significant amount of users having poor outcomes in one aspect or another. I do believe there are a minority of individuals who are very prone to androgenic and/or estrogenic side effects from exogenous Testosterone use that may benefit from exploring Nandrolone though, and it should not be discarded as a potentially viable alternative simply because it is not the primary bioidentical hormone that men produce.

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Knowledge of exactly what is going on inside your body empowers you to implement a science-based disease-prevention program that can literally add decades of healthy years to your life. And if your goal is to not only stop disease, but to also perform at your peak physical and cognitive capacity, blood testing is absolutely crucial for identifying which diet, which supplements and which lifestyle steps you should take to optimize your specific and unique health parameters. But sadly, most annual medical check-ups that the average physician orders are simply routine, old-school blood tests that don't even test for the most important markers of disease risk, and that are simply designed to make sure you're “not dying”. They aren't designed to optimize longevity or to ensure your body is completely primed to perform at peak capacity. What most people don't realize is that you can skip your physician and simply manage the entire process for getting your blood work done yourself. And if you want to test absolutely every little thing that affects your organs, your energy, your hormones, your health and your longevity, then you've found the ultimate answer. I worked closely with WellnessFX, America's top laboratory for concierge blood testing and online access to all your blood testing results, to develop the and , which is the most complete blood testing package for men that money can buy.  This is by far the most comprehensive blood testing package I recommend and is designed for the high performer, biohacker or anti-aging enthusiast who wants access to the same type of executive health panel and screening that would normally cost tens of thousands of dollars at a longevity institute. The panel I discuss in today's podcast dives deep into overall metabolic functioning for optimal long-term health and longevity, and includes thyroid function, stress response, blood glucose regulation, sex hormone balance, heavy metals, inflammation, organs of detoxification (liver, kidneys, gallbladder, and lungs), proteins, electrolytes, blood oxygen and nutrient delivery, immune system status, vitamin D status and much, much more, including: 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D Apolipoprotein A-1 Apolipoprotein B Blood Lead Blood Mercury Cardio IQ Lipoprotein Fractionation Ion Mobility Complete Blood Count w/ differential Complete Metabolic Panel Copper Cortisol Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate Ferritin, serum Fibrinogen Folate Free Fatty Acids Hemoglobin A1c Homocysteine High-sensitivity C-reactive protein IGF-1 (Growth hormone surrogate) Insulin Iron, TIBC Lipid Panel Lipoprotein (a) Luteinizing Hormone Omega 3 Fatty Acids RBC Magnesium Reverse T-3 Selenium SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) T-3 Total T-3 Uptake T-4 (Thyroxine) T-3 Free T-4 Free Testosterone + Free Testosterone Thiamine Thyroglobulin Antibodies Thyroid Peroxidase AB TSH Uric Acid Vitamin A Vitamin B12 Zinc Estradiol As you can see, I've held nothing back and covered all bases with this customized blood panel. You will not find a test this comprehensive anywhere else, guaranteed. From identifying disease to optimizing longevity and anti-aging to maximizing performance, this test gives you absolutely everything you need. During this podcast, in which I cover my own results from my recent longevity panel, you'll discover: My own process of testing my blood. I had 19 tubes of blood drawn; you typically have 3-5 tubes drawn in a blood test. My motivation: What if you want the same type of blood test that would be tens of thousands of dollars at a longevity center? I wanted to advise myself with more precision than typical blood tests such as TSH. I designed a package with Wellness FX, for men and women. I do this on a quarterly basis; although once a year (or once per life) is sufficient for most people. First thing you see on the report: cardiovascular health. Basic lipid panel. Risk factors: Red (high caution); orange (pay attention); green (good to go). A lot of red doesn't necessarily mean a bad thing; all green doesn't necessarily mean all good either. My total cholesterol is red: 267. High cholesterol isn't a risk factor; it's when it becomes oxidized. My HDL levels are through the roof: 151. High level of HDL could mean your body is carrying a lot of metabolites to the liver due to constant inflammation. I tested all my inflammations, all very low. Question to ask: are you a lean mass hyper responder? Could have a higher LDLP particle count. High HDL, inflammation is low, not of concern. High cholesterol and high inflammation, be concerned. Below lipid panel you'll see LDL particles. I use the Thorne multivitamin. The chlorogenic acid you find in artichoke extract is efficacious in lowering APOB My peak LDL size has been climbing; ideally I want it above 222 1/2. My LDL particle count is actually low. Small low density lipoprotein low compared to peak LDL size. Overall I'm happy with my results. Look for increase in the size of my LDL particles. “How can I live a long time and feel good doing it?” Free fatty acids associated with diabetes and heart disease. Omega Index: two different fatty acids in your red blood cells. Arachidonic acid levels are normal; I feel like I could step up my Omega 6 fatty acid intake. (Sprinkle hemp seeds on your salad.) Metabolic health: Risk factors for diabetes and insulin resistance. You want your insulin levels relatively low. Wellness FX will give suggestions on how to lower insulin levels. My blood glucose level wasn't concerning, but a bit higher than normal. Homa IR score: Takes both glucose and insulin levels into account. A ratio of glucose vs. insulin. Thyroid health: You typically see only TSH. Mine has much more... My antibodies to thyroid are very low. Reverse T3 is very low; not concerned about stress. Free thyroxin index is normal. Thyroid peroxidase is a target of antibodies. I have low T3, T4, both total and free. My natural weight is 190-195; my actual weight is 175. I rarely eat until I'm full. Metabolic hormones: IGF is a bit low; I'll take colostrum for this. Cortisol: It's at 24; I want it between 2-20. If it's elevated on one snapshot, consider testing again. Cortisol metabolites. Dutch test for hormones. (link needed) Liver and Kidneys: High levels of creatinine; if you exercise prior to a lab test, the creatinine will be elevated. Blood urea nitrogen elevated. Forms when proteins break down. Elevates when people are a) dehydrated or b) exercised the day prior to the test. My liver values are of concern. ALT when elevated mildly not of concern; mine have raised each of the last 3 tests. Foods that are good for the liver. “What supplements should I take for peak performance?” Milk thistle Holy basil Dandelion root Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. I may fall into this category. Metabolism Reset Diet by Dr. Allen Christianson (link needed) Something I do to sleep on int'l flights: an edible of marijuana. Metabolized by the liver; could have contributed to my high levels. Electrolytes Looking at Co2 and chloride levels. My Co2 has dropped. Bone health: More Vitamin D is not better; Above 80 you have increased risk of mortality. If calcium is abnormal, can be caused by abnormal albumin. The blood: You have two components of your blood: cellular (red, white, platelets) and liquid (plasma). My mean platelet volume is okay. My white blood cell count looks great. Either too little or too much can lead to mortality. Red blood cells: Look great. I spend time in the sauna which is great for blood production. My iron levels are fine. An extra steak or two per week wouldn't kill me. Floradix (link) Vitamins and minerals: Folic acid is essential for DNA synthesis. When folate is high, it could mean using a lousy multivitamin. Vitamin B12 is required for proper nerve function; mine is through the roof. Vitamin A is in perfect amount. Red blood cell magnesium the most precise way to measure magnesium in cells. Copper needed in trace amounts. Zinc important for nails, DNA synthesis, chronic disease management; too much causes bad breath, excessive sweating. Black ant extract is great for zinc. Resources from this episode: [pdf-embedder url="https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Lab-Results-WellnessFX.pdf" title="Ben Greenfield Lab Results – WellnessFX"] - - - - - - - -Almsbio Glutathione with Q10 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Episode sponsors: - are the foundation of total human optimization. I highly recommend their toothpaste! Use my link and get 10% off your order. - Give the middle finger to aging. Use Kion Serum anywhere you’d like more vibrant, youthful skin and hair.   - It’s like having a personal trainer in your pocket. Inspiring music, inspiring trainers guiding your through your workout. Use my link and get 30% off a new membership. - Reclaim your inner-warrior. Have more energy. Boost your libido. Jet Pack is like a cup of coffee for your crotch. Enter code “ben” and get yourself 15% off your order at checkout. Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for me about these lab results? Leave your comments below and I'll reply ASAP!

On today’s episode, we’ll be discussing your health with Dr. Spencer Nadolsky. Dr. Nadolsky will also answer some questions from our listeners about blood work that will really help you understand the principles as well as the risk factors when it comes to heart disease, diabetes and systemic inflammation Listen Now! Brief Bio: Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, DO, is a practicing board-certified family medicine physician. After a successful athletic career at University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, he enrolled in medical school at Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg. He aspired to change the world of medicine by pushing lifestyle before drugs (when possible). Lifting, eating, laughter, and sleeping are his current first-line medicines for whatever ails patients. "Although, those don't cure pneumonia, unfortunately," he told MedPage Today. During his time as an UNC Tar Heel, Nadolsky was ranked in the nation's top four heavyweight division wrestlers. Nadolsky said he owes much of his success to nutrition, exercise science, and, of course, hard work. His goal is to use what he learned as an athlete and apply it to his patients to help them get as healthy as possible using lifestyle as medicine. He now practices in the Norfolk, Va., area.   In this episode, you'll learn: Why Spencer isn’t your average doctor (04:14) What is metabolic health (09:18) What is your waistline telling you about your health (11:46) Understanding your cholesterol numbers (13:03) 7 Ways to boost your metabolism (09:35) The link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease (19:21) How high blood pressure and stress damages arteries (21:56) How to find the right doctor (29:00) 5 reasons you are not seeing results (31:27)   Listener’s Question:  "I'm a follower of Mark Sisson and Dave Asprey regarding diet and exercise. I am 49 years old and in pretty darn good shape but I have a high total cholesterol number since I have become more of a healthy fat eater. Most recent was 260, should I be concerned? My HDL was 70; my cholesterol HDL ratio is 3.8. They didn't list my triglyceride number."   Dr. Nadolsky’s Response: "When we look at some of these numbers in isolation it's easy to make blanket recommendations. I'll give a few different levels of how I would do this if he had some other health issues. If he is perfectly healthy and no other issues like insulin resistance and no blood pressure issues or a history of heart disease that number is on the higher side but not on the level where I would go, "Oh my God, you need to take a Statin or one of these other cholesterol medicines. It would be pretty high if you did have some other conditions like type 2 diabetes or some other risk factors. Age plays a role, smoking and blood pressure and stuff like that. So we take the whole patient and do all these calculations to see the risk but at a very healthy state of life, it's probably not too concerning but definitely something to ask your doctor about looking at your whole health. A lot of times these high-fat diets focus on a lot of butter and coconut oil and some of these in certain individuals can raise your cholesterol but a lot of the low carb people will say it's harmless and not a big deal but I would argue that it takes a long time to build atherosclerosis so a lot of these studies they don't show that. I would personally change the diet just a little bit to hopefully lower those levels but your HDL is very good and your total cholesterol is a little bit high but if you really want to check you can get what's called the high sensitivity c-reactive protein test which can show if you have some inflammation going on and that can risk stratifying a little bit more to basically say, hey this level is high and you're actually at a higher risk of having heart disease or things like. Or if it is low you could say maybe you're not as much at a risk. There is another thing called a calcium heart scan, coronary artery calcium score that you can get that also risk stratify you as well. It's hard to say in isolation it is on the higher level but if you are perfectly healthy in everything else in your life I wouldn't be jumping to medicine right away."   Listener’s Question 2: “Why does the health care system demonize cholesterol and what roles come into play for optimal health?”   Dr. Nadolsky’s Response: " I will try to defend other doctors by saying it’s a system failure. I think as family doctors specifically we have the broadest scope of medicine you could ever think of. We have to know pretty much a little bit of everything...but the system fails. If you have to see 20-30 people in a day and your cooperation is pushing you to see more and more patients to meet overheads...You get forced to read just brief guidelines and then the guidelines in your mind you're not following those even though these things are very brief. So, you not even following what we call evidence-based medicine because the guidelines are there and very good at discussing—you got to look at the totality of everything. But people don't even see it all what they see is a number and they have 5 minutes with a patient and they don't get to talk about lifestyle... And so you leave with a prescription because your cholesterol was a little bit elevated. I think more doctors should go back to their medical school training and understand it's not necessarily just the cholesterol there is also a difference between what we eat and the cholesterol circulating in our blood and what's carrying the cholesterol...It's an issue they look at from a population standpoint. If we can get everybody's cholesterol down you're going to save X many persons...It's a system failure I would say."   Ted's Takeaway 1. Don't be your own doctor 2. Be a results oriented person - With all the nutrition and training approaches, are you getting results? This is a straight forward question to ask yourself. If your answer is no, then you need to try something else or perhaps you need to follow it correctly or have one on one coaching to get you the results you want to see. 3. Be careful where you get your information from -  Evaluate the information you're getting and make sure you are buying into the principles behind what they do and not the marketing hype.   Resources:   Connect with Spencer:   Thanks for Listening! Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Check out my brand new video , where I’ll , you can learn the 7 fat loss strategies that will help you finally create that energetic, lean body you’ve always wanted. If you have any questions (or would like answers to hear previously submitted voicemail questions!), head on over to .   Until next time! Ted

AIR DATE: November 1, 2012 at 7PM ETFEATURED EXPERT: FEATURED TOPIC: “Finding The Diet That's Right For You” If you've been listening to my podcasts or read my blog for any length of time, then you've obviously heard me talk about one of the basic philosophies that I think is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle. Here it is: "Find a diet plan that is right for you, follow that plan exactly as prescribed by the author and then keep doing that plan for the rest of your life making appropriate tweaks along the way to keep it working." But how do you go about figuring out what the "right" diet and lifestyle plan is for you? That's what we'll be exploring further in Episode 33 of "Ask The Low-Carb Experts" with a highly-qualified guest expert named  (listen to my March 2012 interview with Peter in ). TRY THESE DELICIOUS NEW PRE-MADE PALEO MEALSUSE COUPON CODE "LLVLC" FOR 10% OFF YOUR ORDERNOTICE OF DISCLOSURE: TRY THE WORLD'S FINEST CACAO BEAN LOW-CARB CHOCOLATEEnter "LLVLC" at checkout for 15% offNOTICE OF DISCLOSURE:  Here are some of the questions we addressed in this podcast: RENEE ASKS:I have been refining what I think is my perfect diet for about 3 years now. During that time my diet has drastically changed for the better. I eat a very strict Paleo autoimmune diet with no dairy, nuts or nightshades. This has worked very well for me and now I am experimenting with a few little things here and there to tweak my diet that help me go from feeling good to feeling great. I am wondering about the cross-reactivity of coffee with gluten. I have heard that this can be a problem for some people, but I dismissed it because I didn’t want to believe that it can be a problem for me. But now I’m thinking that it IS a problem for me because after quitting coffee I started losing weight with no other changes in my diet. And it's not just calories because I replaced the coffee with a coconut oil cocoa that would have equal calories since I made my coffee into a coconut oil latte anyway. I know that gut issues are the minority of manifestation of gluten intolerance, so this effortless weight loss might be showing some type of healing. I also heard that a study came out early this year confirming that a coffee/gluten cross reactivity is a significant problem. What are your thoughts on this issue? MICHAEL ASKS:I'd like to hear Peter address hypercaloric feeding on a ketogenic diet in combination with weight training. Is it possible for someone who is already basically lean and healthy to overeat and train his way up in size? What is the likely practical limit to size gain and performance in weightlifting with insulin levels being kept very low? MIKE ASKS:I have found success stabilizing my weight on a diet of 20-30g of carbs per day. However, I can't seem to lose those last stubborn pounds. I am a 5'8" male and currently weight 160 pounds with 19% body fat. My goal is to get down to 15% body fat. I started monitoring my ketones and after a month was able to lose another 4 pounds and 1% body fat, but it was very hard for me to maintain the high percentage of fat in my diet required to get my ketones high enough. Recently I started slow lifting and I really like that program. But when I increased my protein to aid muscle development I knocked myself out of ketosis and am right back to the 19% fat, 160-pound mark. I suspect a hormonal problem is contributing to the difficulties in losing but I’ve tested my testosterone twice and both times it’s near the high end of the "normal range." Recently my TSH also tested fine at 1.9, my Free T4 Direct was in the middle of the lab range at 1.32, and my TPOab was also in the middle at 12. My Free T3 was on the low end of the lab range at 2.2 (with the lowest reference range being 2.0). Given all of the above, are there variations I could try in my diet that could get me unstuck and help me reach my goal? MARYANN ASKS:I’m a 76-year old woman with the H63D gene for hemochromatosis and have high ferritin. My latest test was 436 and it goes up and down with an all-time high of 625. My doctors says that a phlebotomy is unnecessary unless it goes over 1000. I also have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation which I understand eating the Paleo way is the best for this. My A fib discussion board members say my ferritin is way too high now. What diet would you say would be the best for me? TINA ASKS:I am 42 years old and have been overweight since having children in my early 20s. I am 5'4" and weigh 199 pounds. My A1c was 5.8 when I check it a few months ago and my doctor advised me that I’m at risk for Type 2 diabetes and that I need to start exercising 30 minutes per day. I have been playing around with low-carb/Paleo and primal diets for the past few months but I can't decide which way to go. I have read tons of information and listen to many health podcasts like the ones from Jimmy Moore, Balanced Bites and Fat Burning Man. Where do I start? I crave sweets at least once a day and that continues to be my biggest downfall. How do I pick the diet that’s right for me? PALEOZETA FROM AUSTRALIA ASKS:I would like Dr. Attia to talk about intermittent fasting and…well, diarrhea. Sorry. About 10 minutes after I eat again following an intermittent fast, which works very well for me in conjunction with my ketogenic diet, I tend to have one or two bouts of diarrhea. I was reading that it could be our body expelling the toxins in it, but I’m not so sure about that. I’ve heard other people who do IF having this same issue. Do you have any insights about this? JAN ASKS:I'm a peri-menopausal woman, and I eat a low-carb, high-fat version of primal. My doctor is pushing statins on me strictly on the basis of my LDL-C which registered in at 142 using the Freidewald Equation. My HDL is 79 and my triglycerides are 71. Because of my insurer and financial situation, getting an NMR Lipoprofile test to measure my LDL-P is out of my reach to better assess my risk factors. I can't even get them to do a C-Reactive Protein test to assess whether there's inflammation. Is there any dietary tweak I can make to bring LDL-C lower without negatively impacting my excellent HDL and triglyceride readings? ERIC ASKS:It seems very timely that Dr. Attia will be on your podcast, Jimmy, as your latest Apo B results showing 238 and an LDL-P score of 3451 would appear to be quite alarming based on his recent “The Straight Dope On Cholesterol” series. Since Dr. Attia is a huge fan of ketogenic diets AND has a lot of knowledge about the importance of lipid markers, I would imagine he would be in a fantastic position to help clarify what is going on here. He seems to believe that the Apo B number is one of the most important markers of cardiovascular health. By the way, what is Dr. Attia’s Apo B number? JACK ASKS:Since cycling is a topic that is rarely addressed in Paleo/low-carb circles, does Peter have any tips for maximizing endurance athletic performance while on a ketogenic diet? Whenever I try to do cycling while in ketosis, I often feel fatigued and lose some of my power. Alternately, if I eat a lot of carbs and sugar-laden cycling food, I get stomachaches and feel bloated and grouchy most of the ride. Peter's blog has been the only thing I've ever seen talking about this topic and I’d appreciate hearing more from him about this. ROGER ASKS:Does a ketogenic diet repair or re-regulate an underactive thyroid? I’ve been on this diet for a year and a half now, but my hypothyroid symptoms still exist although I feel much better. My latest blood tests suggest I have low T3. I’m athletically built, never been overweight and exercise moderately. I’m wondering if Dr. Attia is a proponent of doing any thyroid supplementation in conjunction with a ketogenic diet as a beneficial approach to treating these hypothyroid symptoms? MICHELE ASKS:I heard you mention on your previous podcast with Jimmy that you use vegetables as a vehicle for consuming more fat. How important are vegetables in the diet if you’re eating a high-fat, low-carb diet? I always get confused because you hear how important it is to eat a lot of vegetables but I’m not particularly fond of a lot of them when trying to increase my ketones. TOM ASKS:We often hear the phrase used in the low-carb community that “there’s no dietary requirement for carbohydrate.” I’ve always assumed this comment was directed at the usual suspects like breads, cereals, pastas, legumes, etc. However, I have to ask, are vegetables really necessary to consume? In my case, I’m referring to non-starchy vegetables, such as kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and so forth. While vegetables contain vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and phytochemicals, I’ve read that cruciferous vegetables are also potentially goitrogenic. Cooking these vegetables for long periods of time supposedly helps to mitigate any deleterious effects, but the suggested cooking time is a minimum of 30 minutes. So what’s the scoop on veggies? DARREN ASKS:Over the past year and a half, I've been following a low-carb diet stopping short of nutritional ketosis. I'd put my daily carbohydrate input close to 100g out of a 2700- calorie diet. It has allowed me to accomplish and exceed the goals that I set out to do: - Lowered my Triglycerides from ~330 to

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.  Do you have a future podcast question for Ben? Scroll down on this post to access the free "Ask Ben" form... In this June 14, 2011 free audio episode: Respiratory quotient, rapid weight gain, female endurance athletes who get fat, high blood sugar, intermittent fasting, do birth control pills reduce athletic performance, prolozone therapy, hand swelling during exercise, and my favorite podcasts. Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Just click here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: -Get a 10% discount on Master Amino Pattern when you click here. -Click here to donate $1 to keep this podcast going! -BenGreenfieldFitness Inner Circle is now just $1 for a 14 Day Sneak Peek! Click here to join now. - Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code)   --------------------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A: ====================================== [contact-form 3 "AskBen"] ====================================== Lisa has a call in question about metabolic testing and the respiratory quotient, and whether she can lower her RQ to switch to "mixed fuelds", and what the test costs. Michael asks: Hi Ben, I am extremely concerned about my blood sugar levels. Last year I had an occupational health physical and they told me my fasted blood sugar levels were elevated at 118. After that I started phasing in healthier food choices and for at least the past 6 months I've been eating very clean, whole, organic foods and spending about 5 hours a week lifting and interval training. I'm about 5'11 and 155lbs and relatively low BF%. I just got my bloodwork from this years physical and my blood sugar was 118 yet again. I thought maybe I should give you some background. I'll eat a banana first thing then hit the gym. I have post workout shake consisting of oats, whey, chia seeds and whole milk and then my morning coffee with whole milk and stevia. Lunch is usually my big meal where I'll usually have something like an egg salad sandwich and a green smoothie. Around 4 I'll have a snack like naan and hummus and dinner usually consists of turkey burgers and maybe some fruit. I supplement with 4,000 iu of vitamin D and 3 tbspns of Udo's oil every day. My HDL was 40, LDL was 62, and my triglycerides were 84 (which are all improvements over last year). Sorry for the long question but I am quite concerned and don't understand. I do eat a whole lot of carbs and was drinking a lot of milk to bulk up. Would a more paleo/zone diet be beneficial to me or could this be something unrelated to my relatively healthy lifestyle? Josh asks: I've been training for Ironman 70.3 Kansas since December. I started out weighing around 160lbs and am currently at 153lbs. I'm 5ft 10in, in my 20's and have a "cyclist" build (small all over except for my quads). I've been zoning in on my racing weight of 150lbs or slightly below. Just a few days ago after a brick workout in the summer sun I dipped down to 148lbs due to water loss. This is normal for me as I'm a heavy sweater. But today I weighed in at 159lbs after my swim session! How in the world could this be? I eat very healthy and watch my caloric intake. I'm sure some of it is water weight, but 6lbs worth? Whats going on here? Eric asks: I have a question regarding some I know who's experiencing some creeping weight gain. She is a competitive age grouper in the marathon (sub 3:30) and is a periodic triathlete. She is good about tracking every bite of food. After workouts consumes a smoothie containing yellow pea/hemp/brown rice protein blend along with some greens and fruit. Also began supplementing with BCAA's as well. She recently got better about taking nutrition during runs and bike rides. Despite being careful to keep carb/fat/protein ratios in the proper limits and monitoring calories she is still seeing her weight slowly creep up. Could this be the early indicator of over training (i.e. overtaxed endocrine system)? This is someone who commonly has 50-70 mile running weeks on top of 3-4 swim sessions and 3 bike workouts a week, so we are not talking about a casual exerciser. Any insight you may have would be greatly appreciated! Chuck asks: I've been reading some lately on intermittent fasting and working out. Can you explain a little more about this- who it's good for, why to (or not to do it), and if there is ever reasons for endurance athletes to do it--It seems like it would be hard to have the energy for a hard workout after not eating for such a long time (i.e. 24 hours). Also, it seems like a lot of the reasons revolve around vanity and having your muscles look ripped, but I'm guessing thats not the main reason? jen asks: I recently started taking a low dose birth control (6 months ago) I feel like my performance has decreased and that I am just not as strong. And am unable to push myself as hard as I use to. I have gained 5 lbs. My period were regular before I started the birth control. Is there any research on weather the increased hormone level could be the cause of decreased performance in females. And if so could I do anything about it ? Monte asks: How do you do Prolozone therapy? Christian asks: My wife has started training for a sprint triathlon. When she exercises in the heat she gets significant swelling after 15 minutes. The swelling is mostly in her arms and hands- bad enough that she gets a carpal tunnel type syndrome. No cardiac or other medical issues. We eat a gluten free, low carb diet. She has tried adding salt to her water bottle without any change. Any ideas or suggestions? Jeff asks: What are your top five "can't miss" audio podcasts on any topic? In Episode #90, I talk about my favorite books. -------------------------------------------- Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Just click here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Brand new - get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code): Did you know...you can get the new BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt in any design and any price when you click here. Here is the front... And here is the back... Click here to get the new BenGreenfieldFitness shirt, in whatever design and price you choose!